Site fidelity and homing behaviour of some kelp‐bed fishes

Abstract

Common species of kelp‐bed fishes including adult blacksmith Chromis punctipinnis, adult senorita Oxyjulis californica, and sub‐adult kelp bass Paralabrax clathratus were collected from two separate and isolated rocky reefs at Santa Catalina Island, California, U.S.A. where giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera was present. After tagging, groups of fishes were either returned to their initial collection site or displaced to an alternative kelp‐bed site to measure site fidelity and homing behaviour. No tagged fishes that were returned to their initial collection sites and subsequently resighted, exhibited any movement to another reef suggesting that these fishes have a limited home range, and handling during capture and tagging had no effect on site fidelity. Of fishes translocated to alternative kelp‐bed sites, up to 80% of tagged senorita and 100% of tagged blacksmith that were resighted had returned to the site of their initial collection, indicating that these species are motivated and able to relocate previously utilized areas when displaced. However, when young‐of‐the‐year and juvenile kelp bass were displaced, none were ever seen again suggesting that disruption of the relationship between a young kelp bass and its home site may influence its survival.